The sides are unlikely to reach consensus on many important issues related to Donbas conflict by late 2016, - diplomatic source in the group

‘Minsk will continue to host the trilateral contact group sessions in 2017. The work will keep on going, without any changes in the line-ups of the group’, the source in the group of negotiators said. According to him, the subgroups will carry on working as well.

‘The local elections in Donbas may be again re-scheduled and thus might take place in 2017. That will happen if the sides will not reach mutual understanding in terms of de-centralization of power in Ukraine, the special governing status for certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, as well as the unified legal framework concerning the electoral law. It is obvious now that the sides will not be able to make all the necessary steps by the end of this year’, the source marked.

‘Minsk will continue to host the trilateral contact group sessions in 2017. The work will keep on going, without any changes in the line-ups of the group’, the source told Interfax-Ukraine agency. According to him, the subgroups will carry on working as well.

‘The local elections in Donbas may be again re-scheduled and thus might take place in 2017. That will happen if the sides will not reach mutual understanding in terms of de-centralization of power in Ukraine, the special governing status for certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, as well as the unified legal framework concerning the electoral law. It is obvious now that the sides will not be able to make all the necessary steps by the end of this year’, the source marked.